Do You Use An Avalanche Beacon???

[Summitric]

Do you all use avalance beacons when sledding in the mountains and do you wear it all the time?? we have a friend(s) that don't own one, but still get up there with us, in the "steep & deep" ................. Just curious

 

[GRD]

Beacon

Everybody in our group wears one. My dad has a couple of spares. I think I speak for our whole group, if you want to ride in the mountains with us; you need to have a beacon... For next season we are getting the packs that have balloons (I can't remember what they are called).

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Peeps

I own two, one for me and one for my son (Peeps, Probe & Good Shovel). I do not ride with people that are not wearing beacons...no exceptions. If I go down in an avy I want as many people as possible looking for me and the same if someone else does.
My 2 cents worth

 

[Shifty423]

I own two, one for me and one for my son (Peeps, Probe & Good Shovel). I do not ride with people that are not wearing beacons...no exceptions. If I go down in an avy I want as many people as possible looking for me and the same if someone else does.
My 2 cents worth

Thanks bunny now I dont have to type that! If you ride with me you come prepared...no peeps no Shifty...

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Shifty, your welcome...no peep, no Shifty..

Thanks bunny now I dont have to type that! If you ride with me you come prepared...no peeps no Shifty...

 

[NosRX1]

Beacons are a must for any level of rider any time you plan on going to the mountains!! they are cheap enough to rent and if you ride alot its worth spending the money to own one!!

 

[renegade x]

beacon reply

I can't imagine riding in the mountains without one.Always carry spare batteries even if the ones in the your beacon are new.

 

[Shredder]

I own two, one for me and one for my son (Peeps, Probe & Good Shovel). I do not ride with people that are not wearing beacons...no exceptions. If I go down in an avy I want as many people as possible looking for me and the same if someone else does.
My 2 cents worth

This spring we reserved all the guys renting sleds from RideNHide, that came from MB,and SK; complete avy packs at the same time we reserved their sleds. We have the same "no exceptions" rule.

 

[snotterite]

If it has a heart beat it must have a beacon , no exceptions. Each beacon is tested at staging, spare batteries are kept on each person warm and dry and I carry a spare unit for my Wife and I. We also ride only in groups that are radio eguiped . I will carry a Sat. phone in the pouch of my seat only because it survives there, every where else it gets broke. Have never needed it for our own emergency but have used it twice for other people. Remember even if you locate with the beacon and extract ,that person may need evac as soon as possible.That person could be you. With all of the coin we drop on trucks,trailers, sleds,mods,fuel,food,beer,whiskey,clothes,gear,rooms and whatever , this is not the items we should be cheapo on. And if someone in the group refuses try to educate if all fails for your sake and your family just say No..............Without a beacon he can't find you.Sorry if this old guy is preaching like a crazy stick in the mud but I have now in my life pulled one friend from a lake with no way of calling for help [before Sat phones], always thinking of you Johnny . And more recently dug a lady out in B.C. in a slide I set-off. This is a subject that will and does hit home if you spend a life time in the mountains.I quit for a number of reasons for awhile but the number one reason as my friends know is because the only places I liked where dangerous places to be.Stupid maybe but true and I know some of you are calling me a pussy but death scares me and preventable senseless death is unforgiveable. Heaven is next to the STEEPand DEEP thats why we go there it's just the best .Sorry for ranting ,it hit a nerve please all of you ,equip your selfs and your friends ,take a avy course stay safe .....It could happen to you. I was reading something about a beer get together in Calgary and Edmonton how about a Avy seminar this fall. Thanks everyone.

 

[snochuk]

I have two, one for a spare. If you don't have a shovel,probe, beacon then you don't ride with us. If someone else wants to die thats their buisness but they better have the gear to save me or my friends. Eight out of 10 have avy training,6out of 10 have ABS bags. We also carry sat. phone,GPS,very well equiped first aid kit(there are 2 people who are gratfull I pack it),10 power monocular(scan new slopes before climbing) as well as a lot of other small items. I pack a lot of gear for "just in case".If someone can't wear a beacon for me....well we know where he can go.

 

[Summiteer]

We won't ride with guys that don't carry beacons. Most everyone that rides with us has also has at least one avalanche course under their belt. Our club(Whitecourt Trailblazers) puts one on every couple of years as a refresher and to catch the newbies that haven't had one.

 

[catmando]

I'm floored with the responses...................I cant believe people would even consider riding without one.I bought two pieps dsp beacons( In my opinion,the best you can buy! )One for me,One for whoever I'm riding with!
Like was said earlier,If I know your not wearing one.......BYE! BYE!
catmando!

 

[Summitric]

Its A Scary Thought, Eh?

if it has a heart beat it must have a beacon , no exceptions. Each beacon is tested at staging, spare batteries are kept on each person warm and dry and i carry a spare unit for my wife and i. We also ride only in groups that are radio eguiped . I will carry a sat. Phone in the pouch of my seat only because it survives there, every where else it gets broke. Have never needed it for our own emergency but have used it twice for other people. Remember even if you locate with the beacon and extract ,that person may need evac as soon as possible.that person could be you. With all of the coin we drop on trucks,trailers, sleds,mods,fuel,food,beer,whiskey,clothes,gear,rooms and whatever , this is not the items we should be cheapo on. And if someone in the group refuses try to educate if all fails for your sake and your family just say no..............without a beacon he can't find you.sorry if this old guy is preaching like a crazy stick in the mud but i have now in my life pulled one friend from a lake with no way of calling for help [before sat phones], always thinking of you johnny . And more recently dug a lady out in b.c. In a slide i set-off. This is a subject that will and does hit home if you spend a life time in the mountains.i quit for a number of reasons for awhile but the number one reason as my friends know is because the only places i liked where dangerous places to be.stupid maybe but true and i know some of you are calling me a pussy but death scares me and preventable senseless death is unforgiveable. Heaven is next to the steepand deep thats why we go there it's just the best .sorry for ranting ,it hit a nerve please all of you ,equip your selfs and your friends ,take a avy course stay safe .....it could happen to you. I was reading something about a beer get together in calgary and edmonton how about a avy seminar this fall. Thanks everyone.

sorry to hit a nerve, snotrocket, but we have had a few brushes as well, but not quite like yours, by the sounds of it. Good to hear from experience, and if you want to rant some more....feel free. I think i speak for everyone when i say we appreciate your experience and hope no one else will.

 

[BIGFOOT]

ABS Avalanche bags

Everybody in our group wears one. My dad has a couple of spares. I think I speak for our whole group, if you want to ride in the mountains with us; you need to have a beacon... For next season we are getting the packs that have balloons (I can't remember what they are called).

GetR'Done, What you are referring to as mentioned is (ABS Avalanche bags). That's what Bad Ass, The Champ & Myself are looking into. We will ride out this season w/what we have & hope to ALL have for next season. You can check bags out on www.rockymountainxtreme.com

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

There are lots of guys out there without beacons, and some know better.
We usually have Sat phone, always have a gps and radios.
Safety first!!!

 

[Summiteer]

About 4 or 5 years ago I had gone to Clemina with a buddy from work and some of his friends from Edson. I was putting on my gear at the parking lot when buddy saw me putting on the beacon (borrowed at the time) and said "What's that?". I told him and he said "oh, uh, yeah. None of us use them". Never would have gone if I'd known that. I never thought to ask because everyone that I knew that rode the hills ALWAYS used a beacon. It didn't even occur to me that there were guys that'd ride without. That was 5 years ago.

 

[snotterite]

I should have been a little clearer in part of my last message. After alot of hindsight thinking concerning my buddy johnny, i truely do believe even sat phones could not have saved his life, my statment in my last post makes it seem like it would have made a difference. Also sat phones were made then ,but just for the military back then. I quess my very important point is just because you take all the advice and purchase all the reccomended gear your most important piece of equipment is the piece under your helmet, good decisions will leave you asking why do i carry all this for. The warden read my last post and said i had to clarify the above, wont be long now before you see me at the mall, pants yanked up , sweater vest,scratching lottery tickets and dreaming about sledding. Like our old group always says if your skid mark out scratches your highmark its to the trail pasture for you. One last thing i think you guys will find funny years ago at duncan a family of 3 showed up at the stagging area. I warned the father the area was extreme and in a very high avy condition. He replied that him and his wife had beacons and not to worry. I asked him about the child and he got very upset with me a told me to mind my own business. This concerned me because this was our last day of 5 in this area and we had already set off 10 or more slides.being a idiot i couldn't leave it alone i went up to the mother and passed her our spare beacon and told her were to leave it when they came back down. Off they went. I quess daddy must of found out about what i had done cuz when we got back. The beacon was smashed and hanging on the antenna with a note i told you to mind your own business.

 

[arcticdodge]

I usually ride where there is no threat of an avy but the first day I took my sled out to the hills we stopped and bought 2 beacons, shovels and probes. If I am on the sled the beacon is tested and the probe is checked to make sure it isn't damaged. I have never taken an avy course, would really like to. I would feel safe riding with any of you guys who do appreciate safety for yourself and your fellow riders. Unfortuantly, the shovel gets used lots, always stuck.

 

[bigdog67]

I'm with all of you guys.I want to go out and have fun just like everyone else.But I also want to be prepared for the worst situation.And so do the guys I ride with.We have some rules we live by and if you can't abide by them.You can ride with someone else.Beacons ,shove,and probe are three of the rules....Just my two cents


BigDog67

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

I've lent my gear to other guys in the past and this upcomming weekend we are heading out to McBride and are short one Peep. Put the word out and suddenly there are a bunch of people willing to lend thier gear (thanks Ron). Really there is little excuse for putting youself in danger by riding without a Peep, shovel and probe.